good morning, america. this morning, breaking news. seven more fires overnight in los angeles. a serial arsonist is on the loose, setting more than two dozen fires. among the ruins, one legendary rocker's former home. now, a manhunt is on to stop the arsonist before he strikes again. a sad twist in the case of little baby ayla. police in maine say this is no longer a missing person's case. it's a criminal investigation. why the change? what do the cops know? and do they have a suspect? down to the wire. with three days to go until the iowa caucuses, the race is closer than ever. and the candidates are pulling out all the stops. who is mitt romney's secret weapon?

and what was the moment that brought newt gingrich to tears? our jon karl goes one-on-one with the candidates. and raise your glass. the new year has started in some parts of the world. you can kick it off right now, with us. we're live in times square, where the ball will drop, gaga will sing, and 1 million people will pile in for the biggest new year's party on the planet. i saw a lot of people this morning on the way to work already celebrating new year's already. it's new york city. >> we celebrate new year's pretty much every night in new york. >> let's get to the actual celebrations. these are pictures from just moments ago in new zealand, where it is already 2012. they are ringing in the new year with an amazing display in auckland. >> not to brag, though. but the biggest party will be

here in new york city. check out this shot of times square. people are lining up to save their spots. and our ginger zee is right next to the ball that everybody's going to be watching. there she is. hi, ginger. another thing that everybody will be watching, will a pregnant beyonce show up? or has she already delivered? she may be involved in the celebrations in some way. we'll be covering that story aggressively this morning. >> a long delivery process. another high profile celebrity split. katy perry and russell brant are ending the year by ending their marriage. was she surprised when he filed? we have all the latest details on that. and a big, very important mystery out of san francisco this morning. who stole banana sam? i can't believe i said those words on television. what or who is banana sam, you ask? he is a squirrel monkey. and somebody liberated him from the san francisco zoo. ron claiborne is on the case. we'll have more coming up. we're going to start with the breaking news overnight. the city of los angeles is being

terrorized by a serial arsonist who struck again last night. police say possibly another six fires were set, bringing the total to more than two dozen. the fires have caused hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of damage. and people's lives are very much at risk. abc's abbie boudreau has been tracking the story from los angeles. good morning to you, abbie. >> reporter: good morning, bianna. a serial arsonist is on the loose. and the race is on to solve this mystery before someone gets hurt. this terrifying scene has been scene more than two dozen times around los angeles. fires that spread to home and apartment buildings. firefighters scrambling to contain the damage. >> whoever set that fire, had to know how close this apartment building was. and it was done when people were sleeping. that's the scary part.

>> reporter: now, a search is on for a serial arsonist. the fires were concentrated in and around hollywood. and already, the damage is estimated to be in the hundreds of thousands. >> my house, my home, i live there. like, i could have died. >> reporter: fortunately, nobody was injured. >> one fire out of control can cost dozens of lives. and if you light 19 fires, you're trying to say something. this is not the way to say it. >> reporter: this woman showed us her husband's car. it was his christmas gift. >> we can always get a new one. both of us are safe. that's the most important thing. >> reporter: investigators are now searching through surveillance footage for clues and have offered a $60,000 reward for anyone who can help solve the mystery. police are asking anyone with information to come forward. and, dan, it's very clear police are taking this extremely seriously. >> yes.

they seem angry. and it's lucky and extraordinary that nobody's been hurt thus far. abbie, thank you for your reporting this morning. now, to politics. your voice, your vote. t-minus three days until the iowa caucuses. in a campaign that's been fluid and fast-paced, and brutal and bizarre. it's been compared to a reality show. but the stakes are infinitely higher. jon karl is live in des moines this morning. good morning to you. >> reporter: good morning, dan. this race is as unsettled as it's ever been, with newt gingrich trying to regain momentum. dark horse candidates moving up. and mitt romney hoping for a big win. newt gingrich is famous for his confidence and bravado. but in a town hall meeting with iowa moms yesterday, he showed another side when a republican pollster, frank lutz, talked about his mother who suffered from depression. >> it comes directly from

dealing -- you know, something, the feeling -- the real problems of real people. >> reporter: when we met up with gingrich earlier in the day, he was all-smiles, despite a pummeling of tv advertising that's caused him to sink to fifth place in the most recent poll. >> i'm committed to running a positive campaign. and we have to find a way -- >> reporter: why? >> because i just think politics has become a really nasty, vicious negative. and i think it's disgusting. and i think it's dishonest. and i think the people who are running the ads know they're dishonest. and a personal will do that to try to get to be president, obviously no hope they'll be any good as president. >> reporter: mitt romney feels more confident than ever about iowa. asked new jersey governor chris christie to campaign for him here. >> it's time to have a real change in washington. >> reporter: the race is wide-open. >> you're welcome. >> reporter: with ron paul attracting the largest crowds and the most dedicated supporters. >> how are you? >> reporter: former senator rick santorum, once at the back of

the pack, rising fast. what a change from a few weeks ago, huh? >> yeah. i've been around the state. it's not my first rodeo. >> reporter: i mean, how does that feel? i mean, you were with a handful of people. now, you've got -- >> it's not that much different. it really doesn't. i'm still doing what i'm doing. >> reporter: also making a late surge is texas governor rick perry. after stumbling badly -- >> i -- oops. >> reporter: perry has made a comeback in the polls and has spent more on tv ads than any other candidate. >> jon, you've been covering politics for a long time. not to age you. you're still a young man. but given your experience, what is different about iowa this time around? >> reporter: well, dan, look at the caucuses this time. i have never seen a more topsy-turvy race. at various times over the past four months or so, i count six different candidates that had the lead at one point or

another. in august, it was michele bachmann with the clear lead here. she is in last place in most of the polls of those competing in iowa. >> six different front-runners. it's incredible. jon, thanks for your reporting this morning. let's bring in republican strategist, mary matalin. thanks for joining us this new year's eve. >> good morning. happy new year's. >> happy new year's to you. mitt romney and ron paul is leading the pack in iowa right now. who, in your opinion, is going to come out on top? >> all the polls show romney -- the trends -- it's trending towards rommy, with all of the caucus cohorts. tea party, affiliated, women. he's only losing the unaffiliated caucusgoers to ron paul. but he's two-thirds ahead to all other republicans. momentum is as important as organization. and he has both. >> so, if romney does win, is this race essentially over? >> no. we have an unprecedented situation here. the republican party has changed its rules where you have a

front-loaded, proportional allocation of delegates. so, there's no incentive for second-tier, second-place candidates to get out. they can acue delegates while coming in second place. he won't win decisively. he has to win decisively in new hampshire, and south carolina. as he gets to florida, there's no incentive for others to get out. but you're living off the land. that's pretty tough business. >> and how much is a vulnerability of romney's inability to leap above the 25% approval rating where he has now? >> it's been a problem all the way through. but newt's surge made romney a better candidate. the last man standing, the protection program wasn't working. conservatives wanted to see not just conservatism on display. but proud conservatism that he could fight. when he took the gloves out there and came out he became

much more articulate on conservative things. and it's going to be a fight against obama. >> you've seen a fall as of late for newt gingrich. does that mean that the negative ads have, in fact, worked? >> yes. but i think the conventional wisdom is the volume of them, the barrage of them is what was determinative. it's really the substance of this. newt's descent was owing to his articulation of conservativism. and the facts, the substance of those ads shows his fidelity of conservative schism is buried in the past. that's what hurt him, the substance, not the barrage. >> a very topsy-turvy race. is it too early to count other candidates out? we saw rick perry and rick santorum, a recent surge from them, as well. >> there's a solid hole for candidates more conservative

than mitt romney is perceived to be. there's one poll where conservatives coming out of iowa. and perry is the only one with enough resources to go the distance, i think, if there's anymore distance to go after the next couple of states. >> all right, mary. we appreciate your time this morning. we have to leave it there. the intensity of this race continues. happy new year to you and your husband. >> happy new year to you and yours. >> thank you. one week from today, the republican contenders will be gathering in new hampshire for our next abc news debate. diane sawyer and george stephanopoulos will be moderating that. dan? >> thanks, bianna. now, we turn to a sad story we've been following, involving a baby named ayla reynolds who disappeared. police in maine this morning are now saying it's no longer a missing person's case. but instead, a case of foul play. what changed here? abc's john muller is on the story this morning. john, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, dan. authorities are not talking about a specific suspects at this time. but they have something. they have led this is a criminal

case. it is centers around the place where little ayla disappeared from, her father's home. 20-month-old ayla reynolds was seen alive just two weeks ago. and authorities in waterville, maine, issued a grim statement. we believe that foul play has occurred in connection with ayla's disappearance. the statement goes on to play, this case has evolved from the search for a missing child, to a criminal investigation. investigators base their conclusions on evidence gathered over the last two weeks but wouldn't elaborate. maine state police roped off a shed friday at the waterville home of the toddler's father, justin dipietro. dipietro insists he put his daughter to bed on the night of december 16th. and reported her missing the following morning. thousands of hours of exhaustive searching on land aerowater have come up empty. the 20-month-old's mother was in rehab at the time. and made allegations that ayla's father may have been abusive. the little girl had recently suffered a broken arm. >> he said, well, her and my

niece like to go down on the stairs. it might be from that. and i didn't believe it. >> reporter: the father, dipietro, issued a statement of his own last week. saying, i would never do anything to hurt my child. questions of ayla's arm or bruises or anything else being said are ludicrous. the search has gavelized and agonized this community. they have held vigils and had a makeshift memorial. $30,000 in reward money is being offered in what is now a criminal investigation. police say ayla's father and mother have both been cooperating with investigators. a press conference is expected later today. guys? >> an unfortunate turn. john, we appreciate you coming in. thank you. and now, let's check out the other headlines this morning with ron claiborne. >> hi, there. >> good morning. >> good morning, bianna and dan, john. good morning, everyone. it looks like iran may be ready to return to the negotiating table. the ambassador to germany says the ambassador will have talks

with six world powers, including the u.s. the possible change in position might involve sanctions imposed to curb iran's nuclear weapons program. and after a wild year in the financial markets with huge swings in both directions, both up and down, stocks finished the year pretty much where they began it. the debt crisis in europe and deadlock in washington, d.c. over fiscal policy contributed to frequent, more than 100 triple-digit swings. but the dow gained about 5 1/2% for the year. while the s&p 500 finished almost exactly where it started. and verizon wireless has done a quick about-face after sparking customer outrage over a new fee. that's to all of our viewers in quebec. verizon is cancelling plans to charge $2 for online or telephone payments a day after announcing after the customers

flooded the web with complaints. and police in tampa, florida, have arrested two men for a string of drive-by purse snatchings. check this one out. in a grocery store parking lot, a man leaned out of the passenger side window, grabbing a purse of a woman there and graging her 40 feet. she suffered scratches to her head, arms and legs. and finally, a camera giving football fans a bird's-eye view of last night's insight bowl got too close to the action. the flying camera, it's called a sky cam, came crashing on to the field in arizona last night. the camera nearly took out one of the iowa players that got caught up in the fires. they're dancing out of the way. fortunately, no one was injured. >> something they don't prepare for. >> the cameras falling on the players, yeah. >> thanks, ron. we'll be back with you to the monkey story. we're going to get outside

to -- >> sounds like the punch line of a joke. >> we're going to get to ginger zee in times square with the weather. ginger, happy new year's to you. >> good morning, dan, ron and everybody. and happy new year's to you. it's 50 degrees in new york city. you know it's going to be a busy one. it's the year 12. a 12-foot crystal ball. and the switch, i get to turn it on this morning. let's see what it looks like, just to give you a little preview. beautiful colors coming out of that gorgeous ball that will start you off right on 2012. now, we're not quite sure who is going to do the official switch of the -- switch this evening. but we do hear that beyonce's going to be around. we'll have to wait on that one. what we do know about is weather. weather-wise, we're looking good in new york city. at midnight, temperatures will be in the mid, even upper-40s. look at the rest of the nation and find your place. fair skies and relatively dry almost everywhere. we'll look at the start to 2012.

i think you need to know this. a cold blast of air to start you out in 2012. that means that your january, with windchills below zero. that's for new england, other parts of the northeast. spots that really have been very mild, about to get that change. old man winter coming in, right as we good morning, washington, at the new year's eve. it is almt balmy o out there around the 50s degree mark. is moist acroross some of the ars withth a coldront t that has tough. there is some she activivity the city whicich dissipate as we go through the day. pary sunny and temperatures 55- d degre. nicer to more wi more sunshinine >> you learn so much being up here on a platform like this. this switch, when i turned it

on, that's not somebody just flipping it. this thing actually works. so much coming up on the show. and of course, a look at our rockin' new year's eve, as well. back to you all. >> the big switch. we have some breaking news this morning out of san francisco. a monkey mystery. there's a squirrel monkey named, wait for it, banana sam. he's on the lam. apparently somebody swiped the simeon from the city zoo. now, there's an all-out monkey hunt on the way. with the very latest on this very, very important story, let's get over to ron. hey, ron. >> dan, someone swiped the monkey. cops say looking out for sam. a very tiny, orange and black monkey. if your friend, relative, neighbor or acquaintance suddenly has a pet monkey they didn't have the day before, please call 911. the mystery this morning, who stole banana sam? it happened here at the san francisco monkey dangers. when zoo employees did a

headcount friday morning, they found that one was missing. sam, a 17-month-old squirrel monkey. zoo officials found signs of a break-in. two holes cut in the wire mesh cage. the chain also cut. and the primate pillagers likely climbed these stairs to pilfer the primate. >> it's really small. and it's right by their nest box where they sleep at night. and the other hole is fairly large. a small person would go on. >> reporter: the search is on for a one-foot-tall, two-pound monkey. at 17 years of age, sam is considered elderly by monkey standards. and he requires special food to survive. >> it's very important we get him back. >> reporter: and there's real fears this may not be just pranksters, but thees with more sinister plans. squirrel monkeys are often sold on the black market.

>> it's kind of shocking. >> i think it's terrible. >> oh. that's so sad. >> reporter: but there is some hope this morning. the last monkey stolen from the zoo a year ago was returned. it is shocking. a private donor has put up $5,000 for banana sam's safe return. zoo officials say the animals are shy and skiddish. but they will bite you if provoked. and they have sharp teeth. >> i feel so impressed. the fact you guys did this story with a straight face. >> we're professionals. coming up on "gma," another unhappy hollywood ending. after just 14 months of marriage, katy perry and russell brand calling it quits. was she blind sighted? and we're finding the best videos in our fixation segment. which was the best video of the year? you voted. we'll show you the winner, coming up.

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near in new york city, we famously drop the crystal ball on new year's eve. in other parts of the world, they drop other things. like a drag queen. a moon pie. or a watermelon.

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good morning, washingtgton. happy new year's eve. what a mild start to this with temperatures in mid to upper 40'ss and it is balalmy out thehere and it be that way today and tomorrow. change will be coming next week. as a cold froront moves througha

scattered showers -- showers city willwest of the dn. nothing g significant but a few outut theree to morrisison your windshshield. at nn today, partly sunny be breezyns and it will with winds out of the west. some higher gusts will top outut 50's and tomorrow, cditions 58h sunny and looook for verchillyly airr coming ourr o tuesday and wednesday. daytime highs ll only be inn 0's a and night

and that is what 2012 looks like in auckland, new zealand. look at those fireworks go. of course, we're all waiting for the big fireworks, the ball dropping here in new york city. just hours away. >> we should make clear, that is not live. that is last year's celebration. >> exactly. last year's, 2011. >> a look at what tonight will look like. >> it will be not so cold. a lot of people will be out there enjoying the night. good morning, america, this new year's eve. i'm bianna golodryga. >> i'm dan harris. you probably know, this is saturday, december 31st. the last day of 2011. coming up, our favorite fixation. we show you the videos we've

been obsessing about during the week. we ran an internet poll to find out which video you thought was the best of the year. was it the paddy caking kittens? the bouncing bear? >> it was hard to pick my favorite. >> it was. we're going to begin with a high-profile celebrity couple who will not be ringing in the new year together. russell brand and pop star, katy perry, are calling it quits, after just more than a year of marriage. tanya rivero is here with the story. unfortunately, a lot of people saw this coming. >> it's quite sad, bianna. a lot of people saw this coming. but the exact timing blindsided ka katy. he filed for divorce two years almost to the day after his romantic proposals in 2009. one of hollywood's hottest couples has gone cold. it was russell brand that made it official. brand cited irreconcilable differences. and in a statement he said,

sadly, katy and i are ending our marriage. i'll always adore her. and i know we'll remain friends. >> did she know he would draw papers during a holiday, right before new year's eve. i think that was a surprise. >> reporter: trouble was clearly brewing. the pair spent christmas apart. perry, frolicking in hawaii. and brand, in his native england. neither wearing a wedding band. as recently as this month, brand shot down separation rumors on "the ellen show." >> it was part of the college. i'm still alive. >> reporter: and in july, the multiplatinum perry raved to bianna golodryga about her marriage. >> privacy is really important, especially in my personal life with my husband and i. and we just cherish it so much. >> a happily married man. that's the ring. okay? ♪ baby you're a firework >> reporter: what went wrong? was it perry's demanding

schedule as a rising star, while brand's fame flatlined? the former gospel singer was raised in a devoutly christian family. and brand has a hard-partying past. >> he was an odd figure when surrounded by her strictly religious parents. he would make jokes all the time that would push those buttons. >> reporter: still, just one year ago, he told "nightline's" bill weir he was happy to put his wild ways behind him. >> i think i was growing up anyway, bill. eventually, i wanted a companion, a friend. it's the most normal relationship i've ever had. >> reporter: that's a relationship that's ended. something that perry's close circle of friends are not upset about. many of them thought perry and brand were not a good match. >> it moves on for both of them. >> i thought they were a cute couple. >> i know ron and dan were curious here. but we have the same shirt. >> the burnt orange. >> no. i own that exact shirt.

>> it's a great shirt. >> ron introduced that set. do you have anything to top that? >> let me check it out here. i do have something for you. i'll save it for the kicker. i don't know if i'll top that. i'll compete. in the news, a serial arsonist has struck in hollywood again this morning. police are investigating several more car fires, bringing the total to more than 2 dozen in 24 hours. police are offering a reward of up to $60,000 leading tosyria, thousands flooded the streets for a the largest show of protests in months. 22 protesters were killed on friday. and enfamil, infant formula has been declared safe, by the fda and the centers for disease control. there's no evidence that four cases of a rare bacterial

infection was related. four of the babies consumed enfamil. more than 100,000 cyclists, not equivalent of a red shirt, filled the streets of taiwan to break the world's record for the largest bicycle parade. the record was set in italy more than a decade ago. >> i don't know, ron. it was close. >> i know. >> that's impressive. >> i tried. >> yes. time, now, for the weather and ginger who is out in times square, where they're getting ready for the big night. ginger, go. >> it's a big night. and it's a big morning already. so many folks feeling the excitement here. i talked to people who do this every year. they said the novelty never wears off when you see the huge crystal ball. you also have the confetti, which does not come from this building. it comes from balconies and windows from buildings surrounding times square. and people write their wishes on this. you can go to a times square

visitors center. i've done mine now. it's to learn to report like dan harris. that's one resolution. that's it. >> i'm so flattered. >> that is kissing up if i've ever seen it. >> no. >> and to be as kind as bianna. that's what i'm working on here. confetti. more than 2,000 pounds will be dropped. so, pretty intense. let's talk about the weather because you do need to know, not just the weather in new york, which is going to be absolutely brilliant. but weather around some of the other parts of the nation and that have special names. look at celebration down there. 66. back at new year, montana, it will be a cool 16. let's talk, then, about the rest of the forecast for tomorrow because as you start your new year, you want to know what to plan. an arctic blast is coming in for the start of 2012. it will make it to the northeast by monday and tuesda

>> and finally, party like ron claiborne. this weather report has been brought to you by activia. >> everyone's been counted on. >> she's only been here a couple weeks. but she really knows us. thanks, ginger. coming up here on "good morning america" on this new year's eve, forget dropping the waterford crystal ball. we'll show you some of the more unique celebrations around the world. and you voted for your favorite fixation video. we'll show you which one of these videos is your favorite of the year. oh, hi, yes...wow, you really went all out on the decorations, huh?! yeah, but i'm so slow taking them down after all the fatty holiday food. but that's normal. what do you mean that's normal? it doesn't have to be. to me, normal, means feeling good inside.

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let's get back to ginger zee who has been spending this morning in times square. she's standing next to the crystal ball that's going to be dropping tonight. i understand you're going to look at some of the more odd traditions in other parts of the world. >> that's right, dan. even though new york city has the biggest celebration, it certainly isn't the strangest. when it comes to new year's,

nobody does it like new york. it has been called the biggest party on the planet. 1 million slivering souls crammed into times square. they'll be blanketed by 2,000 pounds of confetti and kept warm by countless goofy hats and silly glasses. and this year, they'll be entertained by one lady gaga. the pop diva will ring in the new year, heating up times square, alongside ryan seacrest. who, for the seventh year, does the bulk of the hosting. dick clark, the man who first got the party rolling exactly 40 years ago today, will be there, too. >> he's excited about this year. he gets excited every year. looks forward to this. he'll make as many appearances as he wants. and i kind of stand there and take the ball when he passes it. >> reporter: justin bieber will take the stage. so will carlos santana. what they won't have is this -- or this.

across america, cities big and small have their own answer to that famous times square ball. trip adviser rounded up the best of them. from cheese, in plymouth, wisconsin, to moon pies in mobile, alabama. they may not be as big. but they have as much heart. and it's watching a possum at midnight isn't your idea of a dream new year's, you can always join the 1 billion people worldwide, that's billion with a "b," who will watch that ball drop on tv. and perhaps enjoy a less public new year's kiss. it is always so nice to get to know the faces behind this big celebration, who makes it possible. we want to head over and say good morning to jeff strauss, president of countdown entertainment. >> good morning. >> good morning. and good morning morning to jim o'leary, of waterford. the crystal, everybody is fascinated by. let's talk about the theme this year. there is one. >> every year, we have a new

theme. this year, it's let there be friendship. it's not just in the united states. friendship is a world, global feeling and sentiment. we're happy we have this incredibly useful sentiment for the whole world to enjoy. >> i'm a meteorologist, so i'm fascinated about this. more folks will be coming down because it's warm. how big a celebration is this going to be tonight? >> every year's a big celebration. because of weather tonight, it's not there's going to be more people. they will stay longer. it will make it difficult for us to clean up. and what's great, is they're from all over the world. they'll be celebrating together. if you can't make it here, you can see it on our web cast and our times square ball app. we have lady gaga, hot chelle rae. six hours of entertainment. >> do you know about beyonce? know anything about beyonce coming? >> not really. >> we're trying to get the scoop here. thank you for being here. thanks for putting on this huge

party. we're ready to start 2012. >> ginger, on the case, with aggressive questioning. thank you, ginger. do not miss dick clark's new year's rockin' eve, with ryan seacrest. right here on abc. coming up here on "good morning america," which did you pick? of all the incredibly absurd videos we've shown you this year, which was your favorite? coming up, we're going to reveal the winner. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ [ male announcer ] be bold. introducing the new blackberry bold. and it's your fault.

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♪ you are an obsession you're my obsession ♪ are you ready for this? this is a culmination of a

year's worth of misbehaving children, ill-advised opportunities. we're going to have a little look back. >> time for a fixation. >> this is what i've been fix e fixating on. >> all year long, we brought you the pictures, stories and videos that caught our attention all week. >> some really wild stuff here. >> from the craziest tricks. to the death-defying stunts. look at that. unbelievable. to the kids doing the darnedest things. >> we're leaving today to go to disneyland. do the happy dance. >> to the wild antics of animals. >> 32-consecutive hits. >> lots and lots of animals. >> we got a little edge. need some edge. these are pictures of dogs taking naps.

>> you got into the mix. >> we have our very first your fixation. >> and sometimes so did we. >> every every once in a while. more mindless information. >> love it. >> and it's happening again. >> things got a little out of hand. >> the graphics department is out of control. >> there we go. >> it's still your show, dan. >> with 2011 coming to a close, what will we be fixated on in 2012? as we say in tv, keep it here. >> we picked our favorite of the year. bianna goes first. >> mine aired on october 2nd. this was little bo, stealing the show from his big sister, kayla. she's doing her dance drills. and there's bo, unbeknownst to his sister. doing his own dance. >> look at that shake. >> i like it. >> that inspired us to go on with a graphic that seemed to

never end. do we have it? >> yeah. we were able to superimpose bo on to our screen. >> he will forever live with us. >> part of the show. >> remember may 8th? it was a weekend. i had this as my fixation. this is really great. these are some trick shots done by teenage kids in ohio. i investigated. this was for real. he hits a basketball into a basket with a golf iron. it only took 157 attempts. but they also did another trick. this is a group of high school kids, where they threw a ball from the top of ohio state stadium, in columbus, ohio, into a basket. only took 83 times. >> ginger, what have you got? >> i haven't been here that long. i have plenty of fixations. one of my favorites, the notorious b.i.g. baby. the baby could not stop crying. a little infant, their first

child. until she heard this. ♪ that is notorious b.i.g. "hypnotize." and it works every time. >> biggie works on me, every time, as well. this is the first fixation i ever did. we start with the open of a hind quarter of a cat. and a dog comes into frame. just trying to get a little kitty cat love. and sheer benevolence. this dog literally turns the other cheek. no response. just trying to get a little affection. no love whatsoever. >> bang, bang, bang. >> one of the best uses of slow-mo i've ever seen. >> the most important is the viewer opinion. this is a close call. only 30 votes separated the top 2 winners. and finally, it's here. with the envelope.

>> thank you, fonzie. >> drumroll. okay. and the winner is, the treadmill dancing queen. do we have that? >> look at this. >> as i recall, this video captured surreptitiously, as this woman was working out. this is the real thing. >> 1.5 million hits on youtube. amazing. as always, folks, is there a story, video or picture you can't get enough of, tweet us at "gma." we're going to have a lot of these, i can imagine, in 2012, going into the new year. and we'll be right back. ♪ [ male announcer ] it's easy to see what subaru owners care about. ♪ that's why we created the share the love event. get a great deal on a new subaru and 250 dollars goes to your choice of five charities. ♪ with your help, we can reach 20 million dollars by the end of this, our fourth year. [ female announcer ] get 0 percent apr financing

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the simple joy of big expectations. ♪

before we go, i havave an importanquestion for ginger zee. what are you going to do tonight? >> very easy. very simple. party like ron claiborne. toast to you. 2012. >> it's not that easy, just for the record. >> happy new year, everyone. >> have a great time tonight. good morning. at some of the officer stationed at dulles airport is now under arrest. is ooks cuesed of mibor on line.

aren't saying how long led to his arrest. police officers managed to serious injuries crash. crieser landed on its roof while trying to turn. this happened just after mid night. went to the hospital as a precaution. at our holiday forecast. good morning. nice way to end 2011. very mild out there. live shot down at the academy. the sun starting to come through. little shower activity earlier this morning. , all along the 270 corridor. mild side.s on the in the 40's. you can see a high pressure system moving into our area. moving out. we're going to see partly cloudy conditions around here today and yet another mild day. here you can see any remnant well to the northeast

of the city. high temperature at noon about 53. out anywhere from 0 degrees. the first day of 2012, more of the same. about 58. breezy. but by the time we get to wednesday, temperatures around the point. night time lows in the teens and lows 20s. >> we hope you have a safe and happy new year.